Santa Rosa Man Gets Life in Prison for Sexual Battery of Juvenile
Santa Rosa Man Gets Life in Prison for Sexual Battery of Juvenile
On July 21, 2023, Circuit Court Judge Clifton Drake sentenced Michael George Rasmussen of Jay to life in Florida’s Department of Corrections for Sexual Battery (Victim less than 12 Years, Defendant over 18 years). On the January 23, 2020, law enforcement took a report of Sexual Battery on a juvenile. The 8-year-old victim was left … read more
Commission to Establish New Bid Selection Policy After Recent Award Fiasco
Commission to Establish New Bid Selection Policy After Recent Award Fiasco
Santa Rosa County Commissioners plan to codify their bid selection process, following allegations of wrongdoing after the board’s July 27 decision to change its July 13 ranking in which Clemons Rutherford & Associates was chosen for a county contract. Multiple issues have arisen since the July 27 revisiting of the award, including an accusation of … read more
Termination Recommended after More Misconduct Alleged Against Milton City Clerk
Termination Recommended after More Misconduct Alleged Against Milton City Clerk
Additional allegations of misconduct have surfaced against Milton City Clerk Dawn Molinero, whose contract was one vote away from being terminated July 31. The next day a co-worker filed a grievance, accusing Molinero of releasing Social Security Numbers, violating City regulations, defamation of character, and creating a hostile working environment. An internal investigation report shows … read more
Ethics Commission Dismisses Democrat-led Complaints Against Calkins
Ethics Commission Dismisses Democrat-led Complaints Against Calkins
Calkins, a staunch Republican, is known for pro-life and 2A advocacy The Santa Rosa County Democratic Executive Committee had encouraged citizens to file complaints against Santa Rosa County District 3 Commissioner James Calkins over comments he made against replacing a Republican with a Democrat on a county advisory committee. However, the Florida Ethics Commission on … read more
Milton City Clerk’s Contract Nearly Terminated
Milton City Clerk’s Contract Nearly Terminated
During a special meeting tonight Councilman Jeff Snow made a motion to terminate the contract of appointed Milton City Clerk Dawn Molinero. The vote ended in a tie, which enable the Mayor to break the tie in opposition, saving Molinero’s job. Councilman Casey Powell had seconded Snow’s motion, which was supported by Councilwoman Roxanne Meiss … read more
Fentanyl Catapults Panhandle Counties to Top Spot for Per Capita Opioid Death Rate in Florida
Fentanyl Catapults Panhandle Counties to Top Spot for Per Capita Opioid Death Rate in Florida
As deadly fentanyl from Mexico continues to exacerbate the national opioid crisis claiming thousands of lives across the country, Florida is also suffering the effects. A recent report shows that the Pensacola Medical Examiner District now has the state’s highest per capita opioid death rate. To warn Floridians in the four-county district, Attorney General Moody, … read more
OPINION: City of Milton Descends into Caustic Circus Run by Madhat Mayor
OPINION: City of Milton Descends into Caustic Circus Run by Madhat Mayor
It’s hard for the Milton City Council to get any actual work done lately because current Mayor Heather Lindsay is an ineffective leader who allows meetings to turn into a circus of citizens running back and forth to the microphone, disrupting council meetings. Decorum has been tossed aside, and mayhem prevails in The City Where … read more
Cousin Charged in Murder of Gulf Medical Founder
Cousin Charged in Murder of Gulf Medical Founder
Friends and family of Gulf Medical Founder Stephen Lee Jernigan packed the chapel during his funeral last Friday. Many expressed a desire to see justice for the murder which cut short Jernigan’s extraordinary life at 70 years of age. Jernigan’s cousin, 53-year-old Robert Patrick Jernigan, known as “Bobby,” was booked July 20 into Santa Rosa … read more
County Faces Lawsuit after Trio Amends $15-20M Award
County Faces Lawsuit after Trio Amends $15-20M Award
A vote changing July 13 bid rankings was not not published on the July 27 county commission meeting agenda. However, H. Miller Caldwell III, managing partner of Caldwell Associates Architects, showed up after being tipped off ahead of time by a county commissioner. The Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners on July 13 directed … read more
Commissioner Kerry Smith Doubles Down on Calling Local Vet a “Coward”
Commissioner Kerry Smith Doubles Down on Calling Local Vet a “Coward”
A Persian Gulf Veteran and District 1 resident, who had not previously met Santa Rosa County District 2 Commissioner Kerry Smith, was perplexed by an insulting email reply from Smith, who doubled down yesterday on calling Senior Chief Geoff Ross, USN, Ret., a “coward.” “I answered Mr. Ross on my very public county email with … read more
